Thanks for the cleaning instructions!

March 15, 2008

Thank you to everyone who answered my call for help on how to clean my sensor in my D80! My next question is… How do I actually keep the sensor open in this camera?? I can’t find a function which does keep it open?! I already have the cleaning kit and do want to attempt to do it my self. Thank you again in advance! Basia

There is an option to lock up the mirror… That way you can see the sensor and clean it… Howerver, I have never wanted to do it myself… My camera shop does it for me at a reasonable cost… I’d rather they played with it than me trying to do it and possibly damaging it…

If its anything like Canon’s there should be a menu option to clean the sensor – it opens the mirror and shutter and lets you clean until you turn the power off. Read your owner’s manual for further information.

Best way to clean is to start with a blower (a clean blower remember) then graduate to a sensor brush and then swabs. The first two options work 99% of the time and are “sensor safe”. The last option is best performed by someone with experience.

To check cleanliness take a shot of something uniform (a wall or blue sky) at f22 and perform an auto level on the image in photoshop.

Basia i have a Canon EOS 350D and in the menu under spanner 2 it has a sensor cleaning option that opens the mirror and shutter to allow cleaning until power is turned off, but make sure you have a full battery!!!

Hi Basia… I have a Canon, so can’t tell you too much about the Nikon, but be careful, make sure you are using the cleaning function in your camera and not just a mirror lock up option. Mirror lock up is for something else. If the shutter closes while you are cleaning you are in BUG trouble!